BRATSK, Russia—When the chief executive of International Paper Co. arrived in a private jet for his first visit to this Siberian city five years ago, he had to wait three hours on a metal bench in the garagelike airport until someone showed up to look at his passport.

John Faraci has faced many more hassles as an investor in this remote and frigid city: Squabbles with Russian partners in a joint venture, a bloated payroll, repeated...